Batting

Kissimmee, Fla. - March 12, 2018 - The Springfield College softball team improved to 4-0 overall as the Pride defeated St. Norbert, 8-0, in six innings, before walking off against Salve Regina, 6-5, in a rematch of last season's NCAA Division III Championship Tournament First Round contest, where the Seahawks defeated the Pride, 7-4. The games took place at the Osceola Softball Complex in Kissimee, Fla., as the Pride is competing in the Diamond 9 Sunkissed Games.

The win improves Springfield College to 4-0 overall, while Salve Regina, which was playing its first two contests of the 2018 season on Monday, drop to 0-2 on the year. Offensively, the Pride was led by the combined efforts of Carianna Gasdia (Wakefield, Mass.) and Kirsten Drobiak (Griswold, Conn.), as the duo registered a total of eight hits in 15 at bats on Monday, driving in seven total runs.

Next up, the Pride will take on Cortland on Tuesday, March 13 at 11:15 a.m. at Fortune Road Field 1, before playing Webster at 1:30 p.m. directly afterwards.

Springfield 8, St. Norbert 0 (Final - 6 innings)

Springfield College junior Shelby Allen (Oakland, N.J.) improved to 2-0 on the season as she only gave up six hits and struck out four in the Pride's 8-0 win over St. Norbert to open up its day on Monday. Sophomore Marisa Valenti (Trumbull, Conn.) came on to pitch the final inning, also earning a strikeout in the win.

Offensively, the Pride was led by Drobiak, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, all on a three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning, and Allie Wheeler (Agawam, Mass.), who was 1-for-3 with a two-run shot over the left-center-field fence in the top of the third.

Wheeler's home run was the Pride's first runs of the day, as Springfield College would take a 6-0 lead over the Green Knights in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from Gasdia, followed by Drobiak's second home run of the season.

Senior outfielder Rachel Ball (Westerly, R.I.) hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Allen from third to make it 7-0, before the Pride sealed the win when Wheeler reached on an error from St. Norbert, allowing Gasdia to cross home.

Springfield 6, Salve Regina 5 (Final - 8 Innings)

With two outs and a runner on third in the bottom of the eighth inning, Gasdia dropped a perfect bunt, scoring Kayla Padroff (Southington, Conn.) from third base to lift the Pride to a 6-5 win over Salve Regina in a rematch of last season's NCAA Division III Championship Tournament First Round contest

Springfield College went right to work in the bottom of the first inning as Alexyss Conley (Bloomingburg, N.Y.) and Jen Slane (Tolland, Conn.) both produced RBI singles, before Gasdia drove in Ball in the second to make it 3-0, Springfield. The Pride tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single from Drobiak to score Talia Loda (East Haven, Conn.), before Slane reached on an error at short, allowing Meghan Sastram (Oxford, Conn.) to cross home, making it 5-0, Pride.

Salve Regina answered with a five-run top of the sixth inning to make it 5-5, a score that would remain through seven frames, forcing extra innings.

After three outs in the top half of the eighth behind the impressive pitching of Loda, Ball moved Padroff to third on a sacrifice bunt, before Loda lined out to second to put two outs up on the board. Next up, Gasdia dropped a perfect bun, plating Padroff from third and lifting the Pride to victory.

Loda improved to 2-0 on the season, as the senior pitched 8.0 innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs while also fanning eight Seahawk batters.